Karachi hospitals face serious staff shortage

Election duties have adversely impacted health care system

KARACHI:

Doctors, nurses, and both medical and non-medical personnel from government hospitals in Karachi have been enlisted for election duties, sparking fears of a potential suspension of medical services on the day of election.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has mandated election duties for a range of positions, including assistant director admin, assistant director accounts, deputy director, pharmacist, office superintendent, medical officers, RMO, computer operators, technicians, head clerks, and nursing staff from hospitals under the Sindh Health Department and Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC).

Approximately 300 nurses, 100 doctors, and over 50 individuals from various departments of Civil Hospital Karachi are undergoing training for roles such as presiding officer, assistant presiding officer, and other election-related positions.

Furthermore, 174 personnel, including RMOs, senior registrars, medical officers, computer operators, and senior nurses from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, have been called for election duties in Keamari district.

As many as 574 individuals from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital are assigned duties in the west district. The shortage of doctors and medical staff in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital due to the election day raises concerns about potential disruptions in patient treatment.

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At Karachi Institute of Heart Disease (KIHD), the authorities and management are already grappling with staff shortage. Despite this, ECP has also posted hospital staff for election duties. The staff include office assistants, lab and OT technicians, clerks, receptionists, and nurses.

KIHD staff are being summoned to the Government Technician College (GCT) near Ghani Chowrangi for training.

Sources indicate that the election duty assignments are adversely impacting the health care system, primarily due to the existing shortage of staff in Karachi hospitals.

The situation is being handled cautiously to ensure continuity of the health care. Hospital heads express worry about the impact on medical facilities on election day.

Jinnah Hospital Karachi Executive Director, Professor Shahid Rasool clarified that Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) staff have not been assigned election duties.

However, emergency measures will be implemented in Jinnah Hospital two days before and after the elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2024.